Talk Nerdy to Me Welcome Home Wally West

July 13, 2016July 17, 2016

Talk Nerdy to Me Welcome Home Wally West

Wally West was created by John Broome and Carmine Infantino and introduced in The Flash #110 (1959). The character was the nephew of the existing Flash character’s girlfriend and later wife, Iris West. During a visit to the Central City police laboratory where Barry Allen worked the freak accident that gave Allen his powers repeated itself. Wally was bathed in electrically-charged chemicals.

Wally West now possessed the same powers as the Flash. West donned a smaller sized copy of Barry Allen’s Flash outfit and became the young crime fighter Kid Flash. Wally had a strained relationship with his own parents. He often looked to his beloved aunt and uncle for moral support and guidance.

This costume was later altered (in The Flash #135 (1963)) to one that would make him more visually distinctive. The original red was replaced with a costume that was primarily yellow with red leggings, gloves, and ear-pieces.

Other appearances

Wally West was a founding member of the newly created Teen Titans. Kid Flash eventually left the group to focus on school. He also continued a part-time solo career and partnership with the Flash on a handful of cases.

The Crisis on Infinite Earths brought him out of retirement, and the death of Barry Allen gave him a new sense of purpose. Despite the risk, he took the name and costume of The Flash, and was determined to live up to the example that Barry Allen had set for the world.

After the events of Flashpoint, history was altered and the people of Earth lost all of their memories. However, Wally managed to escape through the Speed Force and avoid being lost forever.

He was able to project himself onto the New 52 Earth, but needed someone to remember him before being revived fully. After several unsuccessful attempts to contact his friends and family (including Linda, Batman and his cousin, also named Wally, who is now the new Kid Flash), Barry recognized him and returned him to life, and also saved the entire pre-flashpoint universe with him.